Plumber

PROGRAM OUTLINE

Instruction Sets
Your program consists of eight Instruction Sets designed to take you step-by-step through the techniques and skills you'll use in your new career.

Here's how it works: Your first Instruction Set will be sent immediately after your enrollment has been accepted. Other Instruction Sets will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have learning materials to work with. Here is an overview of what you'll learn and the order in which you'll receive your lessons:

Instruction Set 1
- Learning Strategies
  - The advantages of learning at home; types of study materials; types of examinations; accessing and using the features of our website; determining what kind of learner you are; establishing a study schedule; using study tips; preparing for and taking examinations.
- Introduction to the Building Trades
  - Careers in the building trade; general employment trends.
Instruction Set 2
- The Trades of Plumbing and Pipe-Fitting
  - Plumbing and pipe-fitting; basic regulations, codes, and standards; licensing and certification; interpreting construction drawings and specifications.
- Plumbing and Pipe-Fitting Tools
  - Job and tool safety; identifying and using tools for layout; pipe-joint assembly, finishing, testing, and maintenance.
Instruction Set 3
- Plumbing Fittings
  - Patterns of fittings; mathematical skills used in plumbing; calculating pipe sizes; how to install, test, and repair gas piping systems.
- Waste Systems for Plumbers, Part 1
  - Disposal systems; biological and chemical actions; function and construction of sewers and sewer laterals; determining the grade of a drain.
- Waste Systems for Plumbers, Part 2
  - Functions, types, and locations of main house traps; function of fresh air inlets; branches, waste stacks, and vent stacks; installing rain leaders; testing a drainage system.
- Waste Systems for Plumbers, Part 3
  - Cast-iron pipes and fittings; cutting cast-iron soil pipe; using plastic pipe; installing bathroom fixture supports.
- Textbook: Plumbing Technology: Design and Installation
- Practical Exercise 1: Student Design Projects #1 and #2
Instruction Set 4
- Plumbing Math: Pipe Length Calculations, Part 1
  - Formulas and equations; determining pipe weights, clearances, and fitting allowances; plumbing math terms.
- Water Supply Systems
  - Water treatment; tools used on water supply systems; water pressure and hydrostatic pressure; basement water mains; pressure-reducing valves.
- Heating Water
  - Installing circulating pipes; automatic gas water heaters and electric water heaters; thermostats; solar water heaters.
- Plumbing Math: Pipe Length Calculations, Part 2
  - Pipe bending calculations; waste and vent loop layout; drop, grade, and run measurements; making miter cuts.
- Textbook: Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipe-Fitters
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Instruction Set 5

Plumbing Connections
- Soldering; uses of copper tubing; precautions; welds used in plumbing.
Special Plumbing Systems
- The SOVENT drainage system; the dangers of back siphonage; use of a sump pump; glass pipes and fittings; British Thermal Units (BTUs); processes of conduction, convection, and radiation.
Plumbing Math: Heating Applications
- Calculating volume of cubes, cylinders, and spheres; understanding heat loss and how it relates to radiator size; ventilation principles and requirements for commercial buildings.
Practical Exercise 2: Connection Project
Learning Aids:
- Deburring Tool
- Safety Goggles
- Project Kit

Instruction Set 6
- Introduction to Plumbing Fixtures
  - Connecting parts, including nipples, angle stops, escutcheons, and bibbs; protecting against high-pressure water leaks; choosing the right material fixtures for the job; installing bathtubs and showers.
- Installing Plumbing Fixtures, Part 1
  - Designs of toilets, bidets, and sinks; installing faucets.
- Installing Plumbing Fixtures, Part 2
  - Installing a dishwasher, hot-water dispenser, and garbage disposer.
- Troubleshooting Plumbing Systems
  - Solving common plumbing problems; troubleshooting breakdowns in fixtures.
- Textbook: Complete Plumbing
Instruction Set 7
- Reading Piping Prints
  - Fundamental parts of a drawing; reading schematical drawings; diagramming fluid-power systems.
- Practical Exercise 3: Working with Prints and Designing a System
- Learning Aid: Plumbing Print
Instruction Set 8
- Understanding the National Standard Plumbing Code, Parts 1-5
  - Applying code standards; utilizing tabular data; using code terminology.
- Practical Exercise 4: Evaluating a Design Using the Code Book
- Textbook: National Standard Plumbing Code
Graduation Set
- Tools:

Online Library and Librarian
Students in Penn Foster Career School have access to an online library for use during their studies. Students can use this library to do the required research in the courses they complete or can use it for general reference and links to valuable resources. The library contains helpful research assistance, articles, databases, books, and Web links. A librarian is available to answer questions on general research-related topics via email and assist students in research activities during their studies with Penn Foster Career School.

We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.